Parents speak out about aftermath of 'misguided prank' in Carolina Forest

By | August 19, 2017 at 12:00 AM EST - Updated August 16 at 7:33 AM

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – The parents of a 10-year-old boy who was at the center of an alleged attempted kidnapping in Carolina Forest expressed their disappointment with how the situation was handled.

In a statement sent to WMBF News on Friday, Doctors Mike and Barbara Horn said it took Horry County police officers approximately two-and-a-half hours to respond to the attempted kidnapping on Aug. 7.

Barbara Horn previously said her son was walking back from the clubhouse with his friend when a black Yukon SUV pulled up to him. She stated about four teenagers were inside the vehicle with bandanas over their mouths and hoods over their heads. They rolled down their window and said, "Get in the car, boy," she added.

The incident was investigated by the Horry County Police Department, and it was determined to be a "misguided prank."

According to the Horns, they learned of the determination not from police, but through the media.

"It was later revealed that these young men were 16, 15, 14 and 13 years old, white and come from affluent families in the Myrtle Beach community," the statement read. "The police made it clear that they were not going to pursue any charges and the boys would apologize."

That meeting, according to the Horns, was to take place on Aug. 9 and be between them, the teens and some of their parents.

They said before the meeting took place, the teens posted a video to social media in which they bragged that they "won't do 30 years, ALL we have to do is apologize."

The Horns also alleged that the 16-year-old sent a video to their daughter's 14-year-old best friend and threatened her to "keep your fat (expletive) off the street or I'll pick you up and cut you."

On Monday, one of the teens, 16, was charged with unlawful communication after reportedly sending a threatening video to a 14-year-old girl, an HCPD incident report stated.

During the Aug. 9 meeting between the parties, the Horns claimed the teens and their families, "chose not to take total personal responsibility, especially for the related threats and were defensive."

"To say that we are disappointed with the police, the media and the families of these young men would be an understatement," according to the Horns' statement. "Our son, our family and our neighborhood have been terrorized. As parents, we have read story after story of children abducted and harmed. Yet the police and solicitor write the actions of these young men off as 'boys will be boys.' Boys will not be just boys if we hold them accountable for what they're responsible for. It's just that simple."